This weeks weather is almost perfect to keep us motivated to trap our last week of the season.  Highs in the mid 40’s most of the week with one day in the mid 50’s.  A good chance of rain on Wednesday, slight breezes most days.

I could never be a full time professional trapper, or for that matter, a full time professional outdoors person of any hobby.  I guess I’m just too lazy to do it, or perhaps I like to mix things up in my life…some fishing, some hunting, some trapping, some hiking, some do nothing days…..Right now I can feel a stiffness in my hands, knuckles actually, from setting traps and fleshing skins.  The small of my back twinges now and again, my neck is sun burnt and I have a receding cold sore…all the effects of the past few weeks.  On a positive note I have a fresh outlook, no cabin fever and feel more healthy than I did a month ago…gotta love it.

Today is going to take a small toll on us as we HAVE got to set a lot of traps.  Our toys are loaded with traps higher than I can see over on Wapiti’s toy and the bulk of mine ride behind me.  Between us we have over 125 traps and so there should be no excuse for not setting at least half of them today.  Maybe the strange deformed roping steer with the long pointing horns will keep us at bay in the seep up by the ranch….but I doubt it.

I don’t have names for the areas I think we will get set today, but right now I’ll call them, the seep and the deep.  Both hold a lot of rats (usually) and this year seems to be a year with more than usual numbers (which is good for us).  We are in an area and distance from home where we are back to two rats paying for the gas (Peterson’s was a 3 rat area).

Expected catch for today, with two nights for the rats to get caught, but also two nights and two days for the predators to find those caught rats….the channel should kick out its usual 10 or 11 rats.  Pollock pond, 2, the drainage out of Pollock 5 and the floats 3….20 rats for the day is my guess.  The predators will get 2 of those 20, but with any luck the hides will be salvageable…we will see soon.

The rigs are gassed for the journey and lunch is predictable after yesterdays wonderful meal…add to the sandwich of corned beef, some chips and lots of water and there you go!  Only a 15 minute lunch today and we might as well take it with us as we set traps.  Wapiti might want to bring extra water to wash his hands, I’ll just wipe mine on my muddy boots.

Bears Butt

March 18, 2013